Introduction.Early childhood caries (ECC) is a common chronic disease in preschool children. The objectives of the present study were to: (1) compare pre- and post-treatment Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) scores, (2) evaluate the socio-demographic factors affecting them, and (3) investigate the relationship between early ECC and the socio-demographic characteristics.Materials and methods.The study included 252 children with ages between 27 and 72 months who received dental treatment under general anesthesiaat the Department of Pediatric Dentistry in the Western Mediterranean region of Turkey. In order to evaluate the effects of treatments on the quality of the life of children, ECOHIS was used. The ECOHIS was filled in by the parents along pre- and post-treatment in two follow-ups. Results and discussion.The mean of the baseline ECOHIS scores obtained was 12.54 (SD 5.46). ECOHIS scores ranged from 0 to 23 in the child section [mean=7.25 (SD 4.67)], and 0 to 11 in the family section [mean=5.30 (SD 2.14)]. The mean ECOHIS scores were associated with mother’s age and occupation, while the mean child impact section (CIS) scores were associated with only father’s age (p<0.05). Pain was the most frequently reported complication in CIS, and the feeling of upset in the family impact section (FIS).After general anesthesia, the mean ECOHIS scores of two follow-ups decreased significantly according to the baseline mean scores in all domains.Conclusions.Dental rehabilitation under general anesthesia has some positive physical and psychological effects on both patients and their families.
Keywords:- early childhood caries
- general anesthesia
- oral health
- quality of life